With Mark Williams sidelined indefinitely for the Phoenix Suns as a result of shoulder surgery, everybody expects 19-year-old prospect Khaman Maluach to be thrust into a starting role. Yet, third-year player Oso Ighodaro has the most to gain from Williams' injury and should be the big man seeing an increased role. This could be his opportunity to make a statement.
Oso Ighodaro has most to gain from Williams' absence
If you cast your mind back to opening night last season, the now 24-year-old Ighodaro started in a victory over the Sacramento Kings and was anything but consistent. He was clearly not ready to be a starting big man in this league, with his lack of size against certain opponents and no offensive package to speak of holding him back.
It took until around Christmas for Ighodaro to figure out how best to help the Suns each night, to the point that he was their most improved player in the second half of the season. He works as a small-ball five (and he'll have to with Williams gone), while he is capable of contributing both as a starter and off the bench.
Maluach has the higher ceiling, and his pure dominance in the paint is going to be an asset for years to come. But now is not the time to turn that loose.
With the franchise also unable to add another center right now, the onus is on Ighodaro to play over 25 minutes each night, both as a starter and off the bench. The absence of Williams may have thrown Ryan Dunn an unexpected lifeline, but Ighodaro is the player who will show tangible returns immediately as both a forward and center.
Williams will become expendable once Ighodaro pops
If Ighodaro can bring any sort of offensive game each night in Phoenix this season, it is a wrap for Williams. He won't even be given a chance to show that he can help the team win games and will be moved at the first opportunity.
Even if that doesn't happen, the makeup of the roster now with Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges starting favors Ighodaro. He's springy and can chase other forwards out of the paint, with his teammates capable of holding their own inside for small stretches.
The Suns rightly get mocked for continuing to trade away their future for the chance to win with Devin Booker. Those actions have added a ton of pressure to the upcoming season. But their ability to draft youngsters who eventually become real rotation players like Ighodaro has is growing by the year.
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